1. Technical Field
The embodiments herein generally relate to sensing methods and devices, and more particularly, to sensing solutions, gases, aerosols, and vapors.
2. Description of the Related Art
Nano-materials and detector platforms capable of capturing and detecting agents of chemical and biological significance in a variety of environments are desperately needed. Conventional approaches to this problem use a combination of micro-organisms, enzymes, and antibodies for the molecular recognition of chemical compounds. All of these assays, however, require an additional tagging step for signal transduction, making real-time sensing very difficult. In addition, bio-receptor (e.g., antibodies) technologies typically suffer shelf-stability problems, are generally not reversible (i.e., one time use), and are frequently limited in their capacity for small molecule recognition. Furthermore, non-biologically based detection technologies (e.g., ion mobility spectrometry), typically suffer from sensitivity problems and “false positive” results. Still other instrument-based detector technologies either require complicated algorithms to get meaningful data or their size, weight, and logistics prohibit their use in restrictive environments (e.g., a battlefield). Moreover, current sensing systems are generally not capable of aerosol, liquid and vapor analysis on the same platform in real time.
Therefore for the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for an alternative sensing platform for detecting chemical and biological agent solutions, aerosols, and vapors.